Hoops: Working out takes circular route

Dec. 27, 2012

Updated Aug. 21, 2013 1:17 p.m.

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Lynette Whiting, a.k.a. Lynette Hoopstasy, shows off an Astral Atomic Hoop hula hoop with rotating color LED's that she uses for shows as she demonstrates a hooping around her hand off the body exercise that is good for the arms by pushing back and forth and not straining the wrist for a great upper arm workout. STEVEN GEORGES, FOR THE REGISTER

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Lynette "Hoopstasy" Whiting teaches her hoopdance class at Strong Dance Studios in Cypress using hula hoops she made using irrigation tubbing and decorative tape, not weighted hoops. Weighted hoops using water or beads are not recommended for dance and exercise. To the left in the mirror is 17-year-old Harley Peetoom of Cypress. STEVEN GEORGES, FOR THE REGISTER

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Lynette Whiting, a.k.a. Lynette Hoopstasy, teaches various tricks with the hula hoop to exercise different parts of the body during her hoopdance class at Strong Dance Studios in Cypress. STEVEN GEORGES, FOR THE REGISTER

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Six-year-old Arlene Romero of Anaheim shows off her skills as a hula hooper during Lynette "Hoopstasy" Whiting hoopdance class at Strong Dance Studios in Cypress. Behind her is Naya Chaidez, 6, of Anaheim. STEVEN GEORGES, FOR THE REGISTER

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Lynette Whiting, a.k.a. Lynette Hoopstasy teaches various tricks with the hula hoop to exercise different parts of the body during her hoopdance class at Strong Dance Studios in Cypress. STEVEN GEORGES, FOR THE REGISTER

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Melissa Beoto of Anaheim learns new techniques with a hula hoop during a hoopdance class at Strong Dance Studios in Cypress. Behind her is Arlene Romero, 6, of Anaheim. STEVEN GEORGES, FOR THE REGISTER

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Lynette Whiting uses a homemade hoop hugger that she uses to carry 24 homemade non-weighted hula hoops she made using irrigation tubbing and decorative tape for her hoopdance classes. STEVEN GEORGES, FOR THE REGISTER

Six-year-old Arlene Romero of Ahaheim shows off her skills as a hula hooper during hoopdance class at Strong Dance Studios in Cypress. Behind her is Naya Chaidez, 6, of Anaheim. STEVEN GEORGES, FOR THE REGISTER

Lynette Whiting, a.k.a. Lynette Hoopstasy, shows off an Astral Atomic Hoop hula hoop with rotating color LED's that she uses for shows as she demonstrates a hooping around her hand off the body exercise that is good for the arms by pushing back and forth and not straining the wrist for a great upper arm workout. STEVEN GEORGES, FOR THE REGISTER

Lynette Whiting, a.k.a. Lynette Hoopstasy, shows off an Astral Atomic Hoop hula hoop with rotating color LED's that she uses for shows as she demonstrates a hooping around her hand off the body exercise that is good for the arms by pushing back and forth and not straining the wrist for a great upper arm workout. STEVEN GEORGES, FOR THE REGISTER

Where to go hooping

Finding a place to hula hoop, and hoop hard, in Orange County is like a aiming at a moving target. There's no 24 Hour Hooping Fitness gym, open all night. Instead, there are hooping communities and Facebook pages and Meetup pages. Once you're in that community, you'll be able to find out who teaches what, where, and then you can go swinging.

More places to hoop it up

Free Hoopjam Sundays, by The Walking Hoop and Hoopdance Fitness, on the third Sunday of every month at Salt Creek Beach near the Ritz-Carlton in Dana Point, 8 a.m.

Groups

•South Orange County Hoopers. Hooper extraordinaire Ashley Pintek says the group usually meets Sundays at Salt Creek, with times and locations available on the group's Meetup page, or by calling 949-482-5601.

When Karl Lagerfeld introduced his ridiculously oversize hula hoop beach bag at a Chanel runway show in the fall, he inadvertently struck a pop-cultural chord.

Among the most talked about accessories to emerge from that season's shows, the beach bag seemed to have tapped into a newfound affection for the hula hoop, as a fashion statement and an exercise device.

Anderson Cooper, on his talk show, "Anderson Live," presented a mock version of the bag – a quilted white case with handles made of actual hula hoops – to his co-host, Alexa Chung.

Hula hoops have received other celebrity endorsements. Christie Brinkley was photographed hula-hooping in Times Square on Oct. 5 for World Smile Day, an event that promotes acts of kindness. Jimmy Fallon challenged Michelle Obama to a hula-hooping contest on "Late Night With Jimmy Fallon" in February, after she was photographed hooping on the White House lawn at her Healthy Kids Fair. And Marisa Tomei professed her love of hula-hooping on "The Ellen DeGeneres Show" in 2010, saying it "shimmied everything into place" for her role as a stripper in the film "The Wrestler."

Veteran hula-hoopers have long stood by its aerobic virtues.

"A lot of people are interested in hooping for its health benefits, which might get them hooked, but it's also such a fun way to do cardio," said Bex Burton, a hula hoop instructor who founded Sense of Motion, a Brooklyn-based company that teaches hula-hooping, Pilates and yoga.

Lynette Whiting, also known as Lynette Hoopstasy, holds classes on Thursdays (8 p.m.) and Fridays (7 p.m.) at Strong Studios, 9929 Walker Street in Cypress (714-404-0002). Classes won't be held this week but will resume next week. It's a drop-in class (no sign-up necessary), and the cost is $15 for one or $50 for a pack of five.

Whiting, 24, took up hooping in college and has been teaching it for several years, having learned from the experts at Hoopnotica in Venice. She says she used to work at a gym and "would see people come in and just punishing themselves. I felt bad. I wanted to do something that was fun."

Many of her pupils now are parents of kids who take dance classes at Strong Studios. Some of her students swear they cannot, no matter how hard they try, hula hoop.

"It just makes me feel so happy when I see they're doing it, and they can't believe they're doing it," she said.

The key is getting the right-size hoop. Adult beginners should start with a larger hoop, say 40 to 44 inches in diameter. These are heavier than the kids' toys, and it doesn't take much hip action to get them going. As hoopers get better, they can work their way down to a 30-incher (a standard child size is 28 inches).

Whiting supplies the hoops, or students can bring their own. She doesn't use weighted ones, because in her class, hoopers are using them on their necks and bellies, and if a weighted hoop conks into you, it can hurt.

Whiting, who lives in Buena Park, believes in hooping so much that she's doing her grad-school dissertation on the psychological benefits of hoop dancing.

As with any exercise trend, accessories have proliferated.

"We just got in a beautiful prototype of a goatskin-covered hula hoop – it's dark black leather with a nice grip," said Gabriella Redding, founder of Hoopnotica. In addition to selling hoops, fitness videos and other accessories, Hoopnotica certifies 300 instructors a year to teach what it calls hoop dance.

Sales at the 7-year-old company have grown an average of 30 percent each year and passed the $1 million mark last year, Redding said. Buyers include Stefan Pildes, a founder of Groovehoops, a hoop performance troupe in New York that offers classes at the 14th Street YMCA. Every Monday, about 30 students, ranging in age from 10 to 50, learn hoop tricks like the Swim and Walking the Dog.

"One of my constant quotes in class is if you're giggling, you're doing it correctly," Pildes said. "It's not about how graceful you are, or what trick you can do. It's about finding the joy in your workout."

Some students compare it to yoga.

"I can get into the groove. It's very meditative," said Geetika Agrawal, 34, an associate creative director at a digital agency in Manhattan. "I've started taking formal workshops and lessons so I can learn tricks."

Die-hard hoopers also are taking their passion outdoors, to concerts and giant group hoop sessions called "hoop jams" set to music. Devotees can be spotted in the subway with oversize hoop bags.

"Everyone is in their own hoop world at hoop jams," said Jenni Schwartz, 32, a graphic and Web designer in Manhattan. "But it's friendly at the same time, so I know I can always ask someone to teach me a new skill."

In Los Angeles, workplaces are embracing hooping as a healthy alternative to smoke breaks or trips to the vending machine.

Dina Strada, the manager of employee events at DreamWorks Animation, encourages the staff to take hoop breaks twice a day for 15 minutes. About 10 to 15 people partake, she said.

"Even on days where we're so crazed with work, we force each other to take a quick break," Strada said. "On really busy days, I can hoop and respond to emails at the same time."

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